Generation broadband wireless internet, and associated method, therefor

• US 20020027894A1
• Filed: 04/12/2001
• Published: 03/07/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 04/12/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nokia Corporation
• Original Assignee: Nokia Corporation
• Inventors: Waes, Nico van, Leppa, Ari, Arrakoski, Jori
• Granted Patent: US 7,653,030 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/338
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 16/00 Network planning, e.g. coverage or traffic planning tools; Network deployment, e.g. resource partitioning or cells structures
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 16/32 Hierarchical cell structures

Abstract

A wireless access network, and an associated method, is formed of multiple tiers to provide for communications between individual nodes. Each tier of the network operates at different frequency ranges and provides for connectivity between selected nodes of the different tiers.

Claims

1. A wireless access network for providing radio communication of data therein, said wireless access network comprising:

a first-tier mesh formed of a plurality of first-tier nodes, each of the first-tier nodes of the plurality of first-tier nodes capable of communicating data with at least selected others of the first-tier nodes, at least one of the first-tier nodes forming a first-tier sink node;

at least a second-tier mesh formed of a plurality of second-tier nodes, each of the second-tier nodes of the plurality of second-tier nodes capable of communicating data with at least selected others of the second-tier nodes, at least one of the second-tier nodes forming a second-tier sink node, the second-tier sink node further capable of communicating with the first-tier sink node of said first-tier mesh.

2. The wireless access network of claim 1 wherein the first-tier nodes of said first-tier mesh are operable pursuant to first-tier-mesh operational characteristics, and wherein the second-tier nodes of said second-tier mesh are operational pursuant to second-tier-mesh operation characteristics, the first-tier-mesh operational characteristics and the second-tier-mesh operation characteristics being, at least in some part, dissimilar.

3. The wireless access network of claim 2 wherein the first-tier-mesh operation characteristic comprise a first frequency band within which communication of data is effectuated, wherein the second-tier-mesh operation characteristics comprise a second frequency bandwidth within which communication of data is effectuated, the first frequency bandwidth and the second frequency bandwidth having at least plurality nonoverlapping portions.

4. The wireless access network of claim 1 wherein at least one first-tier node of said first-tier mesh and at least one second tier node of said second-tier mesh are co-located, the at least one first-tier node co-located with the at least one second-tier node capable of communicating with the at least selected others of the first-tier-nodes and the at least one second-tier node co-located with the at least one first-tier node capable of communicating with the at least selected others of the second-tier nodes.

5. The wireless access network of claim 1 wherein said first-tier mesh comprises an ad-hoc mesh which exhibits an ad-hoc configuration and an ad-hoc number of first-tier nodes.

6. The wireless access network of claim 5 wherein the first-tier nodes comprises mobile nodes capable of movement throughout a selected area.

7. The wireless access network of claim 5 wherein communication of data is effectuated pursuant to NLOS (non line of sight) communication techniques.

8. The wireless access network of claim 1 wherein said second-tier mesh comprises a pre-configured mesh which exhibits a fixed configuration and a fixed number of second-tier nodes.

9. The wireless access network of claim 8 wherein the second-tier nodes are stationary.

10. The wireless access network of claim 9 wherein communication of data is effectuated pursuant to LOS (line of sigh) communication techniques.

11. The wireless access network of claim 1 further comprising:

a third-tier mesh formed of a plurality of third-tier nodes, each of the third-tier nodes of the plurality of third-tier nodes capable of communicating data with at least selected others of the third-tier nodes, at least one of the third-tier nodes forming a third-tier sink node.

12. The wireless access network of claim 11 wherein the first-tier nodes of said first-tier mesh are operable pursuant to first-tier mesh operational characteristics wherein the second-tier nodes of said second-tier mesh are operational pursuant to second-tier-mesh operational characteristics, and wherein the their-tier nodes of said third-tier mesh are operational pursuant tot third-tier-mesh operational characteristics, the first-tier, second-tier, and third-tier mesh operational characteristics, respectively, being at least in some part dissim.

13. The wireless access network of claim 11 wherein said their-tier mesh comprises a point-to-point mesh which exhibits a fixed configuration and a fixed number of third-tier nodes.

14. The wireless access network of claim 13 wherein communication of data between the their-tier nodes is effectuated pursuant to LOS (line-of-sign) communication techniques.

15. The wireless access network of claim 1 wherein the at least one of the first-tier nodes forming the first-tier sink node comprises a first first-tier node forming a first first-tier sink node and at least a second first-tier node forming a second first-tier sink node, wherein the at least one of the second-tier nodes forming the second-tier sink node comprises a first second-tier node forming a first second-tier sink node and at least a second, second-tier node forming a second second-tier sink node, the first first-tier sink node capable of communicating with the first second-tier sink node, the second first-tier sink node capable of communicating with the second second-tier sink node, and the first and second second-tier sink nodes, respectively, capable of communicating therebetween.

16. The wireless access network of claim 15 further comprising an other of the second-tier nodes of said second-tier mesh positioned between the first second-tier sink node and the second second-tier sink node, communications between the first and second second-tier sink nodes effectuated by way of the other of the second-tier nodes.

17. The wireless access network of claim 15 wherein data communicated between the first-tier nodes of said first-tier mesh is communicated at a first data rate, wherein data communicated between the second tier nodes of said second-tier mesh is communicated at a second data rate, the second data rate greater than the first data rate such that data communicated between the first and second first-tier sink nodes is communicated more quickly by way of the first and second second-tier sink nodes than by way of the first-tier nodes of said first-tier mesh.

19. The network of claim 18 wherein the mesh network comprises a tiered mesh network.

18. A communications network comprising:

at least one sink node; and

at least one mesh network coupled to and built around the sink node, wherein the mesh network is capable of determining optimal routes within the network to and from the sink node.

20. A method for providing for communication in a method for communicating data, and improvement of a method for forming a wireless access network providing for communication therein, said method comprising:

forming a first-tier mesh of a plurality of first-tier nodes, each of the first-tier nodes capable of communicating data with at least selected others of the first-tier nodes, at least one of the first-tier nodes forming a first-tier sink node; and

forming a second-tier mesh of a plurality of second-tier nodes, each of the second-tier nodes of the plurality of second-tier nodes capable of communicating data with at least selected others of the second-tier nodes, at least one of the second tier nodes forming a second-tier sink node further capable of communicating with the first-tier sink node of the first-tier mesh formed during said operation of forming the second-tier mesh.